Among the huge weekend crowd at Scotland’s biggest vintage vehicle gathering, two Angus brothers made a special journey down memory lane.
The Glamis Extravaganza saw hordes of visitors savour a record-breaking entry of 2,000 vehicles in the Angus sunshine.
And exactly 50 years to the day from when The Courier captured Joseph and Stephen Mitchell polishing their late father’s 1899 Burrell steam engine, the family album shot was re-created.
It capped a memorable weekend for the Mitchells, and Joseph in particular, after his other road locomotive was judged the best steamer in the biggest ever line-up of engines at Glamis.
The 60-year-old said he’d been determined to fulfil a promise made to his dad, Gordon, to bring the family heirloom back to the Extravaganza.
Far-travelled traction engine
The 7horsepower single crank engine spent much of its working life in Suffolk before eventually becoming an eye-catching feature on the forecourt of a Glasgow garage.
“In 1965 it came to Perth and was restored,” said Joseph.
“Dad saw it for sale in a classified ad in The Courier in 1974.
“He’d never been into steam engines but always liked something different, went along and bought it.”
And just weeks later it was on show at Glamis in the very earliest days of the Strathmore Vintage Vehicle Club event.
Joseph, then 10, and Stephen, 7, were pictured polishing the front of the engine in the castle grounds.
“Dad steamed and rallied it for a few years before it was laid up for more than 35 years until 2014,” he added.
It then had a complete four-year rebuild and was named Betsy, after Gordon’s wife.
Sadly Gordon, who grew the former Mitchell of Letham poultry firm into one of Scotland’s most successful independent food businesses, died in 2019.
“Dad was able to see Betsy’s restoration completed,” said Joseph.
“So when I realised 2024 was the 50th anniversary of the photo being taken I wanted to bring her back at Glamis.
“It’s a pretty special day for the family, especially myself and Steve rolling back the years for the photo.”
Mitchell name engraved on trophy again
Joseph also owns a spectacular 1907 Burrell road locomotive, Lord Nelson.
He recently delighted youngsters at Letham Primary by taking it to his former school.
And its status as one of the finest of its kind in the country was recognised with the award of best steamer at the Extravaganza.
“Dad’s name is on that same trophy from 1981 so that just made the weekend,” said Joseph.
“The engines always get a huge amount of interest from people.
“Most of our steam rallies are down south so it was fantastic to bring them both to Glamis for people to enjoy.”
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